days to go

As we rock towards Easter, BLOODSTOCK are busy locking in their first round of promotional club nights and confirming Thursday’s kick-off proceedings on the Sophie Lancaster stage.

Military-clad ARNOCORPS are set to headline the Sophie stage on the traditionally fun-filled Thursday evening, so slap on some camo, be prepared for ‘audience interaction’, and witness their self-described ‘action adventure hardcore rock and roll’. If you didn’t already know, ARNOCORPS are the world’s only band to feature lyrics based exclusively on Arnold Schwarzenegger films (thankfully, mostly the action classics of the 80’s rather than Kindergarten Cop)! The band enthuse; “We’re so pumped to be bringing our action adventure, audio assault to the ballsiest of all metal festivals! As far back as our first UK tour in ‘06, our fans have prayed each and every year for ARNOCORPS to perform at BLOODSTOCK. Finally Crom has listened! On Thursday night, all attendees will gain unprecedented muscle mass as they become goddamn heroes and sheroes!! GO!!!”

The Brits are out in force on Thursday, as thrash metalheads REIGN OF FURY will open the fest. Also joining are 2014’s ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ overall victors, the dual-fronted melodic progsters METAPRISM, Welsh death metallers DESECRATION and ‘pirate folk metal’ outfit, RED RUM. Obviously a rousing party tune - check out Red Rum’s ‘Make Port, Drink Port’ on the YouTube video below:

Once the bands have played each day, the after-hours entertainment in the big top Sophie Stage borders on legendary, so be sure to book your extra day off and rock up to Catton Park early on Thursday, pitch your tent and get your beer hat on in time for the evening’s fun. On Thursday night from 10.30pm, the Warm Up party will be in full swing, running through ‘til 3am. Come out, get fired up on the best metal from the house DJs, meet your fellow Bloodstockers and make new friends. Stay tuned for details on Thursday night’s party theme (in case you want to plan a splendid fancy dress outfit) in due course!

2015’s first phase of BLOODSTOCK club nights are nailed down! More will be added for June, July and early August, so don’t despair if your nearest rock club isn’t listed yet. In the meantime, get along to one of the following, check out the tunes from BLOODSTOCK bands old and new, and be in with the chance of winning weekend tickets or related giveaways. Hilarity is bound to ensue… last year’s club nights included the likes of bucking broncos, endurance tests, and air guitaring in the showdowns to win tickets!! Check with your local club for further details. Events for
April and May are confirmed as follows:

Once again, BLOODSTOCK HQ is running our very popular affiliate scheme which allows you, our metal brethren, to be rewarded for your help in spreading the news of BLOODSTOCK. With an affiliate account, you can earn £££’s!

All you need to do is sign up for free and you will be given your own unique link to use on your website or social media page, and if you wish, you can choose a fancy banner or various other tools from the affiliate lounge on the BLOODSTOCK website.

Remember to use your link at the bottom of any BLOODSTOCK related news or content you share on your site or use it on your Facebook/Twitter/Uni RockSoc page, etc. If you’re in a band, you can also use the scheme! Once 8 people have clicked through and bought a ticket from your unique link, you’ll get a cheque for 10% cash back or you can have a weekend ticket for free! If you sell more tickets, you’ll get more money - the more you sell the more you get back! The top earners are really proactive in remembering to use their link every time they post any fresh BLOODSTOCK info. The more you get your unique link out there, the more chance folks will click through on your link, then buy their tickets!

If you’re part of a group of friends, or a Uni RocSoc, this is a great easy way to earn extra £££’s to maybe fund your minibus hire, or food or beer fund for the festival weekend, or cover petrol or other travel costs for your group.

BLOODSTOCK is romping into March with 5 more metal monsters to add to the 2015 bill!

Recently reformed sludgecore beasts, RAGING SPEEDHORN will be bringing their filthy riffs to the Ronnie James Dio main stage. The band’s Gordon Morison comments “We’re over the moon to be playing BLOODSTOCK 2015. It’ll be awesome to share the stage with some of our old friends like Orange Goblin and Napalm Death. See you down the front!”. Check out the official video for ‘The Hate Song’ from their arsenal of tunes on the YouTube video below:

Progressive metal Brits XERATH also bring the heavy to Friday’s main stage. The band enthuse, "We are utterly stoked to announce we will be returning to Catton Hall once again to perform at this year's Bloodstock festival. We are especially proud to confirm we will be gracing the mainstage for the first time since our debut at the festival in 2009 which promises to almost certainly be a career defining moment for the band. We sincerely cannot wait to see you all there! Warm up those necks Bloodstockers!" Check out their video for ‘Machine Insurgency’ on the YouTube video below:

French groove metal eccentrics,TREPALIUM are set for a Sophie stage slot on Sunday. Dubbed “one of the most stupidly entertaining bands in the metal underground right now” by Metal Hammer, these former touring mates of the mighty Gojira released a new EP, ‘Voodoo Moonshine’ via Season of Mist late last year. Check out the super cool video for ‘Moonshine Limbo’ from that EP on the YouTube video below:

Searching through the store cupboards at BOA HQ we came across 500 Bloodstock car window stickers we forgot we had. So rather than let them gather dust we’ve decided to give them away to you for FREE to the next 500 people who purchase a Bloodstock Standard weekend or Serpents Lair VIP ticket.. just because we can.

Then display the car sticker in your rear window between now and the festival and if one of the Bloodstock crew spot the sticker in your car at a gig or just out and about we will give you a personal meet and greet of the band of your choice over the festival weekend.

Hot on the heels of last week’s five band announcement, BLOODSTOCK is excited to reveal five more acts for 2015! With lots more still to reveal before August’s finest metal party can get started, there’s no slowing down at festival headquarters.

BLOODSTOCK are excited to welcome back thrash metal Brits LAWNMOWER DETH to the Sophie Lancaster Stage on Sunday. The band comment, “Motorbonce famously said, ‘if we move in next door, your lawn will die’. Quite what positioned our forefathers to even remotely claim knowledge of horticultural metal is well beyond us. Scott Ian famously said, ‘I am the law’. In fact, this simply proves that adult literacy levels within the metal genre are in line with that of the national average; quite shit, when he clearly cannot spell and meant LAWN. In a Nostradamus kind of way what these two legends of metal were pointing you to was... “Bloodstock 2015, when we move in you will die happy, we are Lawnmower and we is well excited. Let’s party like it’s 1988.”. If you caught the band at BLOODSTOCK in 2011, when they even had a six foot rabbit on stage during ‘Sumo Rabbit and His Inescapable Trap of Doom’ you’ll be well aware these guys are up for a good time. And if you didn't, check out the YouTube video below:

Taking over the Sophie Stage on Friday, are raucous Brighton noisemakers OAF. Chief bellower Dom Lawson exclaims, "We, the mighty OAF, are honoured and delighted to have been invited back to our favourite festival. If you saw us in 2013, please don't hold that against us. Do come along and observe our ongoing descent into senility. If you haven't seen us before, we're like a middle-aged Royal Blood for people that don't wet the bed (and with added swearing). This will be a splendid occasion and we're tumescent with joy at the very thought of it. Cheers!" The band are currently writing their third album, set to be recorded later this year, and would like you know that this will be drummer Jim’s first BLOODSTOCK since his hip replacement. They’re not joking. Learn more about OAF at: https://www.facebook.com/themightyoaf

Liverpudlian black metallers ETHEREAL will join the fray on the Sophie Stage on Saturday. The band are currently doing a stint with Marduk and Belphegor, supporting their first full-length album ‘Opus Aethereum’, released last month by Candlelight Records. Mixed by the renowned Wieslawski brothers (who you might know from their work with Behemoth) at Hertz Studio, Poland, the record simultaneously pays homage to and progresses beyond the blueprint of black metal. Watch the performance-based video for new song ‘Unholy Ungodly’ on the YouTube video below:

Sunday brings symphonic black metallers SAILLE all the way from Belgium to the Sophie Lancaster Stage. Expect to hear some new songs from their latest, third album ‘Eldritch’, released last November. Soak up the 7+ minutes of ‘Eater of Worlds’ via the lyric YouTube video below:

Bringing the mischief and mayhem on Friday to the Sophie Stage, are Dirty Sanchez lads PRITCHARD VS DAINTON. We’re sure there’ll be even more lunacy than their last visit. Not familiar? See what we’re talking about over at http://pritchardvsdainton.co.uk/

BLOODSTOCK is excited to announce their third headliner for the Sophie Lancaster Stage, and a slew of other Sophie stage bands for the August 2015 event!

Industrial icons GODFLESH are to headline Sunday night on the Sophie Lancaster stage! Frontman and visionary Justin Broadrick comments: “GODFLESH is thrilled to be playing a very metal UK festival! We don’t get asked to play many, as we’re often viewed as not ‘real’ metal enough, or we’re generally seen as outsiders, which we are, thank you. That doesn’t mean we don’t like to be invited to be a real metal band once in a while and especially in the Derbyshire countryside! Thank you BLOODSTOCK!“ After regrouping in 2010 after an 8 year hiatus, Broadrick’s pioneering outfit delivered their first full studio album in 13 years to critical acclaim, titled ‘A World Lit Only By Fire’ in October 2014. Check out a track from the new album, titled ‘New Dark Ages’ over at their Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/godflesh-2/new-dark-ages/

British thrash stalwarts, ONSLAUGHT also join the Sophie stage line-up on Sunday. The band are celebrating the 30th Anniversary in 2015 of their debut album, ‘Power From Hell’, with a special EP on the cards for release and special anniversary merch available. Check in with them on www.powerfromhell.com for the latest anniversary updates and watch the YouTube video clip below from their more recent arsenal

Self-appointed ‘caveman battle doom’ 3-piece, CONAN crash Friday’s Sophie bill. Having recently returned from a string of shows in Australia and mainland Europe, CONAN are prepping for a slot on the Maryland DeathFest this summer, before bringing their unholy wall of sound to Catton Park in August. Go follow them on Facebook to keep up with their latest news at https://www.facebook.com/conandoom

London’s blackened doomsters BAST also join the Friday bill. Having dropped their debut album in 2014 and toured extensively off the back of it, a coveted slot at Catton Park is sure to earn them more admirers.

We’ve a sure fire way to blast away any lingering January blues, and that’s cranking some tunes from the awesome bands set to play BLOODSTOCK 2015! That’s our kind of Valentines mix tape! Here’s three more to add to your playlist!

Bringing skin-flaying riffs by the lorry load to Catton Park’s hallowed ground is BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, who step into the special guest slot on Sunday’s main stage. Expect Father Zakk to bring the riffs to induce bloodshed at BLOODSTOCK!! Zakk comments: “We’re looking forward to seeing the mighty UK Chapter of the all-mighty Black Label when we get rolling at the Bloodstock festival in August!” Mascot Records released the band’s ninth studio album ‘Catacombs Of The Black Vatican’ last April, which gatecrashed the UK national album chart at #30. Check out ‘My Dying Time’, the lead track from the album on the YouTube video below:

British grindcore stalwarts NAPALM DEATH will hit Saturday’s main stage in a UK exclusive show. Frontman Mark 'Barney' Greenway enthuses, "Playing at Bloodstock is literally like stepping out of our front doors to climb onstage, so we'll be projecting a great big wall of noise from Birmingham to Catton Park! We personally know most of the staff and crew, so we look forward to watching them flog themselves to death, while we stand idly by and take in the sights, smells, and sounds of this friendly old fest. Grind!” The band’s brand new, fifteenth studio album ‘Apex Predator - Easy Meat’ was released via Century Media just last week. Watch the animated video for new song, ‘Smash A Single Digit’ on the YouTube video below:

Swedish metalheads WOLF are also set to destroy a main stage slot, declaring, “The Wolves are back and we can't wait to play our favourite festival again! BLOODSTOCK, let it be loud!” Last summer saw the release of their sixth album, ‘Devil Seed’ via Century Media, featuring the ferocious single ‘Shark Attack’. Check out the YouTube video below:

Don’t have your tickets yet for the UK’s premier heavy metal festival? Nip over to http://bloodstock.seetickets.com/event/bloodstock-2015/catton-park/809956 and grab ‘em now. If your wallet’s a little slim after Christmas, fret not! BLOODSTOCK has now launched its very popular installment scheme meaning you can split your payment into three much more manageable chunks. Just click the instalment option at the ticket link above.

The deal breaks down as follows:
1st payment - £45 (plus £7 booking fee) required on the day of sign up.
2nd payment - £45 - debited from your account on 27th March.
3rd payment – £45 (+ postage) - debited from your account on 29th May.
Payments will be debited automatically by bank transfer on the designated day(s), so the buyer doesn't have to worry about accidentally missing a payment. Sign up at the following link and select the ‘Standard weekend with camping instalment plan’ to get yourself covered:

Please note that the deposit scheme is only available for regular weekend tickets with camping, though you can purchase a separate VIP upgrade at any time, subject to availability. If you want your ticket in hand right away, you can grab one now priced £135 (plus booking fee) for a 4-day Thurs-Sun weekend pass (with camping).

As January beds in, BLOODSTOCK HQ is a hive of activity. As well as setting up all the subscribers to the recently announced 2015 Deposit Scheme (see details below) and getting the Metal 2 The Masses heats underway, they’ve also been locking in more bands, this time for the Sophie Lancaster stage.

BLOODSTOCK are pleased to announce DELAIN as Friday night’s headliner. The Dutch symphonic metal band enthused, "We are really excited to perform at the awesome BLOODSTOCK Festival for the very first time this summer! Having written our previous records' title track ‘We Are The Others’ about Sophie Lancaster, it will be an extra important and special occasion for us to headline the Sophie Lancaster stage and meet up with our friends at the Sophie Lancaster Foundation ("Stamp Out Prejudice, Hatred & Intolerance Everywhere!") again. We look forward to rocking out at BLOODSTOCK and hope to see many of you there!” The group are currently touring Europe with BLOODSTOCK compadres SABATON, in support of their latest album ‘The Human Contradiction’, released last April via Napalm Records. Watch their latest video for ‘Stardust’ on the YouTube video below:

Italian tech death metal kings FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE will be rolling in as Saturday night’s headliner, stating "We're very happy to be part of this amazing festival for the first time. It's a great honour for us and we can't wait to crush one of the most important stages in the UK and Europe! See you all there mates!" The band are working on their follow-up to 2013’s ‘Labyrinth’ concept album, which will hopefully surface via Nuclear Blast before the end of the year. Meanwhile, head over to their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/FleshgodApocalypse to see live clips from Wacken, lyric videos and even how to cook a special FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE spaghetti dish, complete with their own brand of wine!

Also appearing Saturday will be Swiss thrash metal band BATTALION. BLOODSTOCK is delighted to welcome the group back to Catton Park, following their first UK show at BLOODSTOCK in 2012. The four piece recently finished recording their third studio album and started the new year by sharing this live video of their whole set at Wacken last year on the YouTube video below:

Newly reformed Bay Area hip hop thrash funksters MORDRED join the Sophie Lancaster stage bill for Sunday. The band are hard at work on a brand new album, which will mark their first new release in 20 years! You might have caught them on a brief UK visit last summer, following a triumphant Indiegogo campaign. Get a taste via brand new song ‘The Baroness’ at: http://youtu.be/hhPrV6h0Tzo or revisit some classic Mordred from 1991 with ‘Falling Away’ at: http://youtu.be/ep94iPgLPow

Also stepping up for a Sunday Sophie slot are fellow Italians DESTRAGE. Signed to Metal Blade, their last album ‘Are You Kidding Me? No!’ guest featured GN’R man Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal on the title track. Metal Hammer writer Stephen Hill declared it his 2014 Album of the Year. See why in the live video for song ‘Destroy Create Transform Sublimate’ at: http://youtu.be/CosqKDW39NU

Not got your BLOODSTOCK tickets yet? The festival’s very popular deposit scheme, that allows you purchase your ticket in 3 instalments, is now up and running! Festival goers have until midnight on 7th March to subscribe to the plan, with the initial payment being taken on the day of sign up. The deal breaks down as follows:

1st payment - £45 (plus £7 booking fee) required on the day of sign up.
2nd payment - £45 - debited from your account on 27th March.
3rd payment – £45 (+ postage) - debited from your account on 29th May.
Payments will be debited automatically by bank transfer on the designated day(s), so the buyer doesn't have to worry about accidentally missing a payment. Sign up at the following link and select the ‘Standard weekend with camping instalment plan’ to get yourself covered : http://bloodstock.seetickets.com/event/bloodstock-2015/catton-park/809956

Please note that the deposit scheme is only available for regular weekend tickets with camping, though you can purchase a separate VIP upgrade at any time, subject to availability. If you want your ticket in hand right away, you can grab one now priced £135 (plus booking fee) for a 4-day Thurs-Sun weekend pass (with camping).

Already announced for 2015 are the three headliners; WITHIN TEMPTATION, TRIVIUM, and ROB ZOMBIE with his full production, plus special guests OPETH and SABATON, as well as a stellar undercard including the likes of CANNIBAL CORPSE, IHSAHN, SEPULTURA, ORANGE GOBLIN, DEATH TA, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, 1349, DARK ANGEL, ENSIFERUM, BELPHEGOR, OVERKILL, AGALLOCH, ARMORED SAINT, KORPIKLAANI, PRO-PAIN, and ENSLAVED. More bands will be announced in due course

It’s the first week back to the grind, but here comes BLOODSTOCK HQ with some news to brighten your week! If you’ve not picked up your ticket yet, the very popular deposit scheme is now available to help you spread the burden of paying for your 2015 ticket. Now you can secure your wristband for 2015’s heaviest festival for three incremental payments of just £45! Much more affordable than forking out a lump sum after you’ve spent all your cash on Christmas gifts and New Year booze!!

Festival goers have a 3-month window (from 10am on Tuesday 6th Jan until midnight on 7th Mar) to subscribe to the plan, with the initial payment being taken on the day of sign up. The deal breaks down as follows:
1st payment - £45 (plus £7 booking fee) required on the day of sign up.

While you’re signing up to the scheme, watch one of 2014’s headliners, the mighty EMPEROR slaying their way through ‘I Am The Black Wizards’ at last year’s weekender, on the YouTube video below:

Please note that the deposit scheme is only available for regular weekend tickets with camping. If you want your ticket in hand right away, you can grab one now priced £135 (plus booking fee) for a 4-day Thurs-Sun weekend pass (with camping). VIP tickets and VIP upgrades (for previously bought regular weekend tickets) are also now available from the Bloodstock store.

Campervan pitches are also very low, so if you want one of these, pick yours up ASAP to avoid disappointment.
Already announced for 2015 are the three headliners; WITHIN TEMPTATION, TRIVIUM, and ROB ZOMBIE with his full production, plus special guests OPETH and SABATON, as well as a stellar undercard including the likes of CANNIBAL CORPSE, IHSAHN, SEPULTURA, ORANGE GOBLIN, DEATH TA, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, 1349, DARK ANGEL, ENSIFERUM, BELPHEGOR, OVERKILL, AGALLOCH, ARMORED SAINT, KORPIKLAANI, PRO-PAIN, and ENSLAVED. More bands will be announced in due course.

Tickets are flying out the door for BLOODSTOCK 2015, the biggest metal party weekend of the year, and now the VIP ‘Serpents Lair’ tickets are available! Do you like a bit of luxury as part of your festival experience, or just want to hang in the VIP bar with some of the bands playing? Well, don’t hang around, pick up your tickets today so you don’t miss out!

As well as the usual ‘pitch-your-own-tent’ and ‘ready-pitched’ camping options in the exclusive VIP campsite, BLOODSTOCK once again has some additional VIP accommodation choices; Podpads, Bellepads, Octopads and Luxpads. Check out www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/vip-camping for full details, photos and pricing.

As well as a dedicated VIP camping area right behind the main stage compound, ‘proper’ toilet facilities, complimentary hot showers and the infamous ‘Serpents Lair’ VIP bar, featuring 120+ guest ales and ciders to sample, BLOODSTOCK also offers a range of additional entertainment exclusive to the Serpents Lair VIP experience. There will be plenty happening in the Lair FOR YOUR EYES ONLY!! Whilst the regulars all know its worth, if you’re new to the Serpents Lair, here’s the basics of the VIP camping experience at Bloodstock;
*Private entrance with free parking directly over the road from your camping area
*Party in the VIP bar with some of the artists performing this year
*Priority access to the band signing tent (except headline acts)
*Late night entertainment with guest DJs
*24 hr hospitality staff to take care of your needs
*10% discount voucher on Bloodstock merchandise purchased at the festival
*FREE T-shirt and goodie bag, including lanyard with all stage times
*Access to the festival site from midday Thursday through Monday

Already bought your standard weekend ticket and want to upgrade to VIP? No problem! Just buy the upgrade from the Bloodstock storefront on the website.

The very popular ‘Deposit Scheme’ (allowing you to break your ticket payment over three manageable instalments) will be announced and ready for sign up in the New Year. This scheme is not however, available for VIP packages.

Head on over to the BLOODSTOCK Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Bloodstock right now to join in some pre-Christmas fun as the festival are running a 12 Days Of Christmas Competition, giving away all manner of limited and/or signed prizes from BLOODSTOCK bands past and present, every day ‘til Christmas!

Already announced for 2015 are headliners WITHIN TEMPTATION, TRIVIUM, and ROB ZOMBIE with his full production, special guests OPETH and SABATON, plus CANNIBAL CORPSE, IHSAHN, SEPULTURA, ORANGE GOBLIN, DEATH TA, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, 1349, DARK ANGEL, ENSIFERUM, BELPHEGOR, OVERKILL, AGALLOCH, ARMORED SAINT, KORPIKLAANI, PRO-PAIN, and ENSLAVED. More bands will be announced in January!

Feeling the winter chill creeping in? BLOODSTOCK to the rescue then, with three more bands announced to get you hot under the collar.

Norwegian extremists ENSLAVED are added to BLOODSTOCK’s Main Stage next summer. With a new album due in March 2015 via Nuclear Blast, expect to bang your head to some brand new tunes. Guitarist Ivar Bjørnson states; “We’ve been to BLOODSTOCK once before in 2009, and not only did we understand then why it has become the most important UK Metal festival – but it has grown to mammoth-proportions since. In sum; what an absolute pleasure and honour to be invited back. We like to think that we too have developed somewhat; having a few new, pretty awesome albums and world tours under our (over-stretched) belts. We can’t wait to come and show the BLOODSTOCK crowd what we’ve been up to. To quote one of our spiritual beacons; General Melchett: “If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.” While you ponder the awesomeness of that Blackadder reference and how much you love ENSLAVED, check out the video for ‘Thoughts Like Hammers’ from record ‘RIITIIR’ on the YouTube video below:

Hailing from the frozen wilds of Finland, folk metal six-piece KORPIKLAANI are set to join the fray in a UK exclusive appearance. Guitarist Country Cane tells us; "After having great fun and sold out shows ‎with our good friends in Sabaton and TÝR, we are excited to be back in the UK to play Bloodstock in 2015. We plan to return and get the crowds singing and dancing Korpiklaani style on our next rock n roll adventure”. Feast your eyes and ears on the official video for ‘Rauta’, from the 2012 Nuclear Blast-released album, ‘Manala’, on the YouTube video below:

The band have been taking their special blend of folk and metal all over the world since the release of their eighth album, performing as far afield as China and South America!

New York hardcore stalwarts, PRO-PAIN will also be decimating the Main Stage. Formed all the way back in 1991, these guys have a whopping fourteen studio albums to pick the set list from, not least their latest pummeling opus, ‘The Final Revolution’. See the official video for ‘Deathwish’ from that release on the YouTube video below:

Head on over to the BLOODSTOCK Facebook page at:https://www.facebook.com/Bloodstock from this Saturday to join in some pre-Christmas fun as Feeling the winter chill creeping in? BLOODSTOCK to the rescue then, with three more bands announced to get you hot under the collar.

Norwegian extremists ENSLAVED are added to BLOODSTOCK’s Main Stage next summer. With a new album due in March 2015 via Nuclear Blast, expect to bang your head to some brand new tunes. Guitarist Ivar Bjørnson states; “We’ve been to BLOODSTOCK once before in 2009, and not only did we understand then why it has become the most important UK Metal festival – but it has grown to mammoth-proportions since. In sum; what an absolute pleasure and honour to be invited back. We like to think that we too have developed somewhat; having a few new, pretty awesome albums and world tours under our (over-stretched) belts. We can’t wait to come and show the BLOODSTOCK crowd what we’ve been up to. To quote one of our spiritual beacons; General Melchett: “If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.” While you ponder the awesomeness of that Blackadder reference and how much you love ENSLAVED, check out the video for ‘Thoughts Like Hammers’ from record ‘RIITIIR’ on the YouTube video below :

Hailing from the frozen wilds of Finland, folk metal six-piece KORPIKLAANI are set to join the fray in a UK exclusive appearance. Guitarist Country Cane tells us; "After having great fun and the festival launches a 12 Days Of Christmas Competition, giving away all manner of limited and/or signed prizes from BLOODSTOCK bands past and present, every day for twelve days!

BLOODSTOCK’s limited batch of early bird weekend tickets with camping are available now, priced £120 (plus booking fee) from http://bloodstock.seetickets.com/event/bloodstock-2015/catton-park/809956 When they’re gone, they’re gone, so grab yours at the discounted price! Guaranteed delivery before Christmas, so they make great Xmas gifts! Campervan pitches are also getting low, so if you want these, pick yours up ASAP to avoid disappointment. While you’re picking up your tickets, check out the new BLOODSTOCK trailer and get excited for next August on the YouTube video below:

Already announced for 2015 are headliners WITHIN TEMPTATION, and ROB ZOMBIE with his full production and TRIVIUM, special guests OPETH and SABATON, plus CANNIBAL CORPSE, IHSAHN, SEPULTURA, ORANGE GOBLIN, DEATH TA, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, 1349, DARK ANGEL, ENSIFERUM, BELPHEGOR, OVERKILL, AGALLOCH, and ARMORED SAINT. More bands will be announced soon!

We’re proud to announce that we’ve teamed up with the brewers of our favourite ale, as we host the HOBGOBLIN Newblood Stage and offer up a raft of options for you to get your band to Bloodstock.

Focused on Unsigned and Self Signed bands we’ll be looking at acts from both the UK and abroad through either The Metal 2 The Masses, Video Uploads or good old fashioned CD submissions ... yep remember them?

HOBGOBLIN WORLDWIDE VIDEO UPLOAD
Hobgoblin will be opening up the search worldwide via www.Wychwood.co.uk , inviting acts to submit their videos online from mid January 2015. Fans can vote for their favourite act, with the winner bagging the coveted slot on the Newblood stage. In exchange for their vote, participants also win the chance to take home a whole host of music-related prizes via an ‘instant win’ competition.

METAL 2 THE MASSES
Bands can apply directly to local promoters who are running showcase events up and down the UK - these could also win you a further slot on the Sophie Stage 2016 along with slots at Wacken (Ger), Metaldays (Slov) and a raft of other additional prizes.

This scheme is focused on UK acts and full details can be found on the website, but to beat the rush these are some of the Promoters running events in their regions.

If none of these regions suit and you feel a venue closer to you may be willing to host the events, then please email us their details and we will contact them.

Please note more Promoters / Venue details will be coming on board all the time so check the website. If you have a venue in your region/country that would be interested in running events then please email simon@bloodstock.uk.com

CD SUBMISSIONS
If you are a signed to a label or self release act wishing to apply for the Newblood Stage (but not via the M2TM), then please send CD's and Biogs to the following address. This is open to bands both European and Worldwide ....

While large portions of the UK are cooing over the penguin in the John Lewis Christmas TV ad, over at BLOODSTOCK HQ, we prefer this little fella on the YouTube video:

If our SEPULTURA-listening friend is more your style too, BLOODSTOCK HQ have got your back, with three more crackin’ bands announced before the holidays, including the final headliner.

Heavy hitting Florida metalheads TRIVIUM are revealed as Friday’s Main Stage headliners in a UK exclusive for 2015. Always effusive in their praise of UK audiences, the band are stoked to be making their first appearance at BLOODSTOCK. Frontman Matt Heafy raves, “The UK is where the world first took notice of TRIVIUM, and to pay true homage to that, TRIVIUM will be playing the most Metal festival that exists in the UK: BLOODSTOCK! We are thrilled beyond words to celebrate our first time at BLOODSTOCK with the the UK’s Metal elite.” With a new album on the cards in 2015 via label Roadrunner Records, BLOODSTOCK should be on the ‘must attend’ list for any TRIVIUM fan! See clips from their last run on this side of the pond in the video for ‘Through Blood And Dirt And Bone’, from sixth album ‘Vengeance Falls’ on the TYouTube video below:

Swedish power metal titans SABATON are elated to be locked in as Friday night’s special guests. Bassist Par Sundstrom comments, “We just had a kick-ass tour in the UK with lots of sold-out shows! With this fresh in our mind, we cannot wait to return to these shores again and this time we can actually bring our full production to BLOODSTOCK! It will be the first time we have done a show like this at a British festival!” Can’t wait ‘til then? The band also have a one-off show on Jan 12 at The Forum in London, with support from DELAIN and BATTLE BEAST. Check out ‘To Hell And Back’ from latest album ‘Heroes’, released via Nuclear Blast in May, on the YouTube video below:

Portland, Oregon’s ‘dark folk’ metallers, AGALLOCH also join the bill for the Sunday. Having released fifth studio album, ‘The Serpent & The Sphere’ this summer, the band are excited to bring their atmospheric and progressive new material to Catton Park. Check out the standout track ‘Dark Matter Gods’ from the latest album on the YouTube video below:

Guaranteed delivery before Christmas and excellent gifts! Campervan pitches are also nearly all gone, so pick yours up ASAP to avoid disappointment.

Like the music in the penguin video? Don’t forget, you can see SEPULTURA at BLOODSTOCK next Summer too. No penguins will be appearing, but all of these awesome bands are…. Saturday’s headliner WITHIN TEMPTATION and special guests OPETH, Sunday’s headliner ROB ZOMBIE, plus CANNIBAL CORPSE, IHSAHN, ORANGE GOBLIN, DEATH TA, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, 1349, DARK ANGEL, ARMORED SAINT, BELPHEGOR, OVERKILL, and ENSIFERUM. Heaps more bands are still to be announced in the coming weeks!

Here at Bloodstock HQ, we got to thinking fondly about how nuts some of our fans truly are. To this end we thought it could be fun to go Crackers, Xmas style but we want it to be a HEAVY METAL XMAS SYTLE.

So what do you need to do? Simple really, let’s get into the Xmas spirit and act out a bit of fun. We want to see your Christmas photo’s with you doing something truly outrageous (keep it clean) but with a festive spin, you can be acting out, or generally anything where we can see the spirit of the festive season has been invoked.

So get your thinking and creative caps on and get shooting NOW… We then want you to SHARE your photo’s and get as many likes as you can on the Bloodstock Facebook competition thread.

For our part, we’ll up the stakes a little. We will award a Bloodstock Goody Bag EVERY DAY for the most imaginative and completely nuts photo’s we see, with the most OUTRAGEOUS top 3 we like, winning some top prizes.

Competition closes midnight on Friday 12th December with winners being announced on Monday 15th December, we will do our BEST to get your prizes out to you in time for Xmas.

So let’s make this a Xmas to remember and get taking these photo’s NOW, make sure you share your photos with your friends and make sure they like the photo’s, the more likes you can get will make up 40% of the voting process.